Physics

Every academic year can claim the title of being unique in many ways, but this year I think we can also add exceptional to the tagline. With the final part of the Spring Term and the entire Summer Term taking place remotely, we had a challenging time to maintain the interest and academic pace and rigour for the students. The students, in turn, matched the challenge with their enthusiasm and commitment to work from home.

We did of course have a full Autumn Term and it is here I would like to begin the stories of success throughout the year. Our Upper Sixth Physics students have been fantastic in their academic approach and we had a rich wealth of talent to showcase this year. A record seven students applied to study Physics/Engineering at Oxbridge this year, firstly passing the entrance exam and later attending their interviews in December. Three of the team, Peter Hindson, George Whittle and William Hipsey were successful and have all now taken up their places.

Some of those students also wanted a further challenge, the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) and the table shows the outstanding results of those individuals. To achieve Bronze you were within the top 16%, Silver 13% and Gold 6%. The Top Gold was awarded to only those individuals within the top 4.5% in the country. George and William also then took a second paper and George was then invited to the selection for the International Olympiad team, eventually curtailed due to Covid-19, but he has been working in the reserve team at home throughout the summer! The Spring Term also had successes with three teams taking part in the annual SATRO challenges, a Junior, Middle and Lower Sixth team all took part in the event in Guildford last year with the Lower Sixth team reaching the final after coming second in their heat. Sadly, the final was cancelled but we hope that they may have the chance to apply again this coming academic year.

The Summer Term of gorgeous weather and online teaching and learning began and just how do you undertake practicals at home? You raid the kitchen and your workshop of course, for flour, elastic bands, tennis balls and paint! The students did an absolutely stunning job of ‘Kitchen Physics’, investigating Hooke’s Law, gravity and the possibility of human missions to Mars. From the First Year to the Upper Sixth, we were stunned into silence with the achievements and ingenuity of our brilliant teams.

With the cancellation of summer exams, we also created bespoke online courses for our Fifth Year and Upper Sixth students. Developing the overlapping skills needed for A Level or University isn’t easy, but a range of topics from fluid dynamics, Formula One cars driving upside-down and Star Trek relativistic Physics kept the students busy in the Summer Term and into the early holidays. The accompanying photos show some of the wonderful projects completed.

Mr M Kelly

“just how do you undertake practicals at home? You raid the kitchen and your workshop of course!”